I Built Expo Go for Bare React Native — No Cables, No Expo Account, Just QR
If you use bare React Native CLI with custom native modules, you know the pain: USB cables, manual IP configuration, adb reverse, shaking your phone to set debug host...
Meanwhile, Expo Go users just scan a QR code and they're running.
I wanted that same experience — but for projects with custom native code. So I built Starship.
The Problem
Every time you want to test on a physical Android device with bare React Native:
With Expo Go, you just scan a QR code. But Expo Go doesn't support custom native modules.
The Solution
yarn add react-native-starship
npx react-native starship
One command. It:
No USB. No IP typing. No shake-settings-reload dance.
How It Compares
Features That Save Real Time
APK Caching — First build takes ~60 seconds. After that, if you only changed JavaScript, it skips the native build entirely. Instant restart.
Multi-Device — Have 3 test phones? They all get the APK at once. adb reverse runs on all of them automatically.
Device Identification — Terminal shows which device connected:
📱 Xiaomi Mi 9 SE (Android 11) connected — app is running
Build Time Tracking — Shows how long each build took and compares with previous builds. You know instantly if something slowed down your native build.
How the Auto-Connect Works
The biggest pain point with bare RN is the "Unable to load script" screen. The app doesn't know where Metro is running.
Starship solves this by injecting a tiny ContentProvider at build time that:
Release builds are never affected. Google Play would reject a debuggable=true APK anyway.
What's Coming
Try It
yarn add react-native-starship
npx react-native starship
Works with any bare React Native CLI project. Single dependency. Zero config.
GitHub: https://github.com/hasangonen91/react-native-starship
npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-native-starship
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasangonen91/
If you've been stuck with USB cables and manual IP config, give it a try. It takes 30 seconds to install and the first build is the only slow one — after that it's instant.
More...
If you use bare React Native CLI with custom native modules, you know the pain: USB cables, manual IP configuration, adb reverse, shaking your phone to set debug host...
Meanwhile, Expo Go users just scan a QR code and they're running.
I wanted that same experience — but for projects with custom native code. So I built Starship.
The Problem
Every time you want to test on a physical Android device with bare React Native:
- Plug in USB cable
- Run adb reverse tcp:8081 tcp:8081
- Build APK
- Install APK
- Open app → "Unable to load script"
- Shake phone → Settings → Type your IP manually
- Shake → Reload
- Repeat when your IP changes
With Expo Go, you just scan a QR code. But Expo Go doesn't support custom native modules.
The Solution
yarn add react-native-starship
npx react-native starship
One command. It:
- Builds your debug APK with your local IP embedded (no manual setup)
- Shows a QR code in terminal
- You scan with your phone camera
- Phone downloads APK, installs it, app opens
- App auto-connects to Metro — Fast Refresh works immediately
No USB. No IP typing. No shake-settings-reload dance.
How It Compares
| Custom native modules | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wireless install (QR) | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Zero config | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| No USB needed | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-device deploy | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Build caching | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Features That Save Real Time
APK Caching — First build takes ~60 seconds. After that, if you only changed JavaScript, it skips the native build entirely. Instant restart.
Multi-Device — Have 3 test phones? They all get the APK at once. adb reverse runs on all of them automatically.
Device Identification — Terminal shows which device connected:
📱 Xiaomi Mi 9 SE (Android 11) connected — app is running
Build Time Tracking — Shows how long each build took and compares with previous builds. You know instantly if something slowed down your native build.
How the Auto-Connect Works
The biggest pain point with bare RN is the "Unable to load script" screen. The app doesn't know where Metro is running.
Starship solves this by injecting a tiny ContentProvider at build time that:
- Writes your computer's IP to SharedPreferences on first app launch
- React Native reads this and connects to Metro automatically
- The ContentProvider only exists in debug builds (runtime safety check included)
Release builds are never affected. Google Play would reject a debuggable=true APK anyway.
What's Coming
- starship build apk/aab/ipa — Store-ready builds
- starship --tunnel — Access from outside your local network
- starship update — OTA updates (free CodePush alternative)
- starship doctor — Environment diagnostics
Try It
yarn add react-native-starship
npx react-native starship
Works with any bare React Native CLI project. Single dependency. Zero config.
GitHub: https://github.com/hasangonen91/react-native-starship
npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-native-starship
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasangonen91/
If you've been stuck with USB cables and manual IP config, give it a try. It takes 30 seconds to install and the first build is the only slow one — after that it's instant.
More...